Patty shell baking process



Feb. 27, 1962 H. M. DoHRING 3,022,751

' PATTY SHELL BAKING PROCESS original Filed May 13, 1958 il l0 rlg INVENT OR.

HANJ M. DOH/VNG ATTO/WYE Y 3,022,751V Y PATTY SHELL BAKING PROCESS Hans M. Dohring, Los Angeles, Calif. (14838 Lassen St., Sepulveda, Calif.)

Original application May 13, 1958, Ser. No. 734,870, now Patent No. 2,975,699, dated Mar. 21,` 1961. Divided and this application'luly 27, 1959, SerrNo. 829,793

3 Claims. (Cl. 107--54) Thisapplication is a division of my pending application S.-N. 734,870, tiled May 13, 1958, for Patty Shell Baking For-m, now Patent No. 2,975,699, dated Mar. 2-1, 1961.

This invention relates to thebaking of patty shells and has as its general object to provide an improved* method of forming'a patty shell in baking'operation.

A specific object of theinventionis to provide a method for accurately formingVV a cavity ofpre-determined size and shape Within a patty'shell .during the baking thereof, without departing from the external'app'earance of a conventional patty shell.

The present method of fabricating a patty shell is'fto build a ilat` ring of dough upon a circular disc of dough having the same diameter as the externalv diameter of the ring, the ring and disc becoming-adheredto one'another with the disc becomingth'e bottom lofthe shell,- and rising during the baking process from av relatively shal-r low initial height to the full height of the patty-shell; During this process, it is common for the superimposed ring of dough to contract irregularly within tliecavity of the patty shell so as to leave acavity in the'nished rpatty shell which is of too irregular or'co'nstricted4 shape to'be satisfactory. Also, the superimposed 'rings'ofdough may raise unevenly, tilting the patty shell to one side orthe other, which likewise produces an unsatisfactoryproduct. For many purposes it is quite desirable that the cavity be of regular shape and size, and the invention provides for attaining this result .with certainty in all cases.

A further object of the invention is to providea smpli ed and shortened process wherein a higher patty shell can be produced than in the use of conventionalrmethods. In the'use of the present invention it is possible to start with a single relatively thick ring of dough superimposed upon a bottom disc, and to attain a' deeper cup` shape in the patty shell as it rises around a core forrnwhich is the essential part of my apparatus.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for forming a pattyshell during baking in a manner to preventany lateral tilting or slumping of the patty shell'while it is rais; ing and preventing any contraction of the cavity during the raising and baking process.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the ensuing speciiicationand appended drawing in which:

FIG. l is a fragmentary perspective view showing one end of an apparatusthat mayV be .utilized in the practice of my invention, with one of the core .forming mandrels removed; v

FIG. 2 is a planview of the same;

FIG. 3 is 4a. detail sectional View taken on the line 34-3' of HG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line. 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view of the core-forming mandrel; and

FIG. 6 is a diametral sectional view` of` the dough biscuit that is used in the process.

Apparatus Referringnow lto the drawing in detail, Ihave shown:

States Patent() therein, as an example offene form of apparatus .that may The stand Bv comprisesr a supporting beam 12 which may be' of inverted' channel section, with lateral longitudinal ilanges 13`reinforcing the same for rigidly maintaining the'4 beam in a at, straight plane; together with pairs of legs 14 at the respectiveends thereof for supporting the beam 12 at av proper height above the baking surface of the pallet 10 or any other heated baking surface that may be utilized. As an example of a relatively inexpensive a'nd simple' constructionV that may be used,the support B is illustrated as being formed from a single sheet'ofmetal, with the legs 14- joined at their upper ends torespe'ctive integral end-flanges 15 bentv downwardly fromre'spective endsl ofthe channel 12 and braced by soldered or welded seams 16 between the outer margins of respective-legs? 14l and adjoining ends of respective ange's 13'; Other equivalent constructions can be utilized.

Each. of the forming mandrels" C'is in the form of a cylindrical cupincluditig a cylindrical lateral wall portion .17',v affdat b'ottorn18; andVV apair' of lugs 19l formed integrallywith the rim of lateral wall17l and bent outwardly in a c'oin'mo'n`v llat'radialp'lane. rIrhe web of beam l12 is provided-witha'series of pairs' ot' spaced seats 21 which are struck'out'of apertures 20 and are depressed below the lower face of the web of beam 12sufficiently so that themandrel lugs 19 are'snuglyreceivable between the seats' 21 and said lower face'. The open upper ends of mandrels 17 are covered by the web 12 of the stand B to prevent the entryv of dust'into the mandrels, thus mainf taining the apparatus more sanitary. Seats 21 are integrally joined to the web of channel 12 by olset webs 22 and 23 at the outer end' and at one side of each respective seat 21. The opposite side of each seat 21 is separated from the web-of channel 12'to provide a horizontal entry slot 24 extending thefull radial length of the respective seat, theedge of the seat at that side being Vdisposed directly below ai radial edge 25 of the channel web, from which radial edgethe free edge of the seat 21 has been sheared in the process of forming the channel 12. The slots 24 provide for insertion of the lugs 19 into the rectangular recesses defined above the seats 21 between the edges 2S and'the shoulders 24and 22. Such insertion of the lugs is accomplishd by raising a mandrel upwardly beneath the beam"12"in` coaxial relation' to an aperture 20, with the lugs 19'displaced`circumferentially from the seats 21, bringing thellu'gs 19 into contact with the underface of the beam 12 and then rotating the mandrel to cause the lugs to enter the slots 24 and engage above the respective seats 21. The rotation of the mandrel is stopped by engagement'of-'th'e lugs against the radial shoulders 22 opposite the slots 24 as indicated in FIG. 2. The lugs 19 are somewhat wider than the recesses above the seats 21, so that the sides of the lugs opposite the sides in engagement with shoulders 22 will remain engaged beneathbeam 12 as indicated'by' the dotted lines in FIG. 2. Thusthe lugs are locked to the beam 12 withthe mandrels C restrained against rising under the pressurefof'the rising dough of the patty shells. At the same time, the supporting of the lugs-19' upon the seats 21 effectsthe suspendingsupport of the mandrelsfrom the beam 12 with the bottoms '18 at' a predetermined correct height above the baking surfaceV of. the vpalletA as .determinedbythe 'resting -of the legs 14 on thelatter.

A spring locking eect, for holding the mandrels against reverse rotation, is provided for by a circumferentially bowed cross section in the lugs 19 as illustrated in FIG. 5, the lateral sides of the lugs being inclined upwardly as shown. The upward inclination of the leading edge of each lug 19 facilitates entry through the respective slot 24. The upward inclination of the trailing edge of the respective lug provides for upward pressure engagement thereof against the underside of the beam 12 adjacent free edge 25 thereof as the lug reaches its home position above seat 21. That is to say, the downward depression of the central part of the lug establishes downward pressure against the seat 21 which in turn results in upward pressure at the trailing edge of the lug against the beam adjacent free edge 25, and this provides a spring locking effect. Any tendency of the mandrel to tilt from. its true vertical axis as the result of the spring pressure thus applied at one lug is counteracted bythe oppositely acting spring pressure at the other side of the mandrel.

The method In the practice of the method, circular biscuits of dough are positioned on the pallet A, and the stand B, with mandrels C attached, is placed upon the pallet A with the lower ends of the mandrels 17 registering with and extending into the respective dough biscuits, in concentric relation thereto.

Since a plain hat baking surface is utilized, the dough biscuits may be located by trial and error iitting of the biscuits, over the lowerends of the mandrels 17, sliding them on the pallet until registration is attained.

. Y 4 The patty shells then may be easily lifted oil the respective mandrels.

The mandrels are then removed from the stand B for washing and the various parts of the apparatus are cleansed preparatory to subsequent use.

One of the advantages of the process is in enabling a less experienced operator to produce a more uniform product. Another advantage is the reduction in produc- -tion time which is eiected by the process, since the dough does notrequire the resting periods during the dough rolling procedure which is conventionally utilized for providing a more solid, stable laminated dough structure for the purpose of avoiding the lateral tilting etc. during the baking and raising process. Since lateral tilting is positively restrained in my apparatus, this problem is avoided by the apparatus. -Such resting periods are also utilized in the convention-al process to prevent unwanted shrinkage in the biscuit. A further advantage of the apparatus is in the prevention of a'partial raising of the bottom in the center thereof, which usually occurs in the normal procedure. Such raised center has to be removed before using vthe patty shell made by the conventional method.

Another advantage of the process is in the uniformity of appearance in the finished patty shell which is assured by the use of the process. .A further advantage is in the l, prevention of loss which occurs in the conventional proc.-

FIG. 4 illustrates the outline of a dough biscuit at 29, l

the rim thereof being shown in a slightly raised condition as the result of the indentng of the central part lby the bottorn of a mandrel C. As heat is transmitted to the bottom of biscuit 29, it Awill gradually raise to acquire the characteristic patty shell cup shape indicated at 29 in FIG. 4. During such raising, the outer surface of the patty shell may assume the slightly irregular surface texture characteristic of a patty shell, there being no restraint against the expansion of the periphery of the patty shell.

Furthermore, the unrestrained expansion provides for complete raising of the dough so as to attain the desired light feathery internal texture that is a desideratum in a patty shell.

ln the preparation of the dough, a wheat ilour dough, prepared especially for patty shell baking, is alternately rolled into sheet form, folded over with a layer of animal or vegetable fat (or a combination of both) interposed between the folds, then again rolled into a sheet of substantially the same thickness and dimensions as the previous sheet, then again holdcd over with an interposed layer of fat, then again rolled out, etc., this successive rolling and folding with interposed fat layers being continued until finally a sheet of laminate structure, cornprising -a large number of paper thin layers of dough and intervening films of fat, and having a total composite thickness of from 1A to 1%; inch, is attained. From this sheet the rings 28 for the side walls of the patty shell are formed by a die cutting operation which causes the cut edges of the dough to adhere to one another thus producing a ring that will retain an integral form during handling and backing. By a similar laminating operation a laminate sheet of dough, considerably thinner than the other sheet, is prepared and from it a series of bottom discs 27 are die cut.

This dough does not become liquiied or runny during baking. Thus, with the support provided in its cavity by the mandrel 17, the peripheral contour of the patty shell is produced with a generally and fairly regularly cylindrical contour but with a pleasingly Ibillowed surface resulting from the lack of coniinement of the peripheral surface during baking. Y

When the baking is completed, the stand B is raised, with the patty shells adhering thereto, and is inverted.

essing, which adds appeal to the finished product.

Also, the invention prevents loss through rejection of unsatisfactory patty lshells made by conventional manufacture, having such imperfections as collapsed walls, tilted form, irregular diameters, and rings displaced laterally with reference to one another during the baking process.

I claim:

1. The method of baking a patty shell which comprises preparing a cylindrical cup-shaped biscuit of patty shell dough; supporting said biscuit upon a iiat horizontal balting surface; suspending and holding a closed Hat-bottomE cylindrical mandrel in contact with the upper face of the biscuit and in concentric relation thereto; and applying heat to the biscuit to cause it to raise around said mandrel? with the external surfaces of the biscuit unconiined so asto effect unrestrained expansion of the external surfaces of the biscuit in a raising action in which it rises around the mandrel to form the patty shell.

2. The method of baking a patty shell which comprisespreparing a cylindrical cup-shaped biscuit of patty shell dough; supporting said biscuit upon a hat horizontal baking sheet; suspending and holding a closed flat-bottom cylindrical mandrel in contact with the upper face of the biscuit and in concentric relation thereto, with the suspending and holding means being supported on said sheet; placing the sheet, with the biscuit and said suspending and holding means supported thereon, into an oven; and applying heat to the biscuit to cause it to raise around said mandrel with the external surfaces of the biscuit unconfined so as to effect unrestrained eX- pansion of the external surfaces of the biscuit in a raising action in which it rises around the mandrel to form the patty shell.

3. The method of baking a patty shell which comprises preparing a cylindrical cup-shaped biscuit of patty shell dough by superimposing a plurality of hat rings of said dough upon a thin iiat circular bottom disc of said dou-gh; supporting said biscuit upon a flat horizontal bak-4 ing sheet, suspending and holding a closed hat-bottom cylindrical mandrel in contact with the upper face of the.

biscuit and in concentric relation thereto; with the sus-- pending and holding means being supported on said sheetg.

with the patty shell adhering to its mandrel, away from UNITED STATES PATENTS Putnam et a1 June 13, 1922 Watkins May 3, 1927 6 Hall July 9, 1929 Smith Nov. 10, 1931 Bauer July 30, 1935 Lassiter Feb. 4, 1936 Cyr Sept. 28, 1943 Daino Dec. 18, 1956 

